The popularity of Senator Barack Obama extends beyond the borders of the United States. We saw evidence of the Obama phenomenon when travelled overseas to Europe and the Middle East. The possibility of Obama becoming the first black president of the United States is also resonating with other blacks of the African Diaspora. On various online blogs and forums, Afro-Brazilians have also expressed excitement in seeing a man who looks as if he could be Afro-Brazilian become the leader of the most powerful in the world. With the rise of Obama, many Afro-Brazilians are also debating the possibility of a black president in a country where some believe blacks are actually the majority of more than 190 million citizens. France, like Brazil, promotes itself as a country where race doesn’t matter. But also like Brazil, in France, blacks are rare on the national political scene. In the French National Assembly, 1 of 555 deputies is black and in the French Senate, none of the 300 deputies are black.

Not only does the candidacy of Obama intensify questions of diversity in the two countries, in Brazil, Obama’s name itself may actually help a few people get elected. In upcoming elections, at least six Brazilians have changed their names to Barack Obama in hopes of being elected in their respective municipal elections. Claudio Henrique dos Anjos changed his name to Claudio Henrique Barack Obama hoping that the recognition of the Obama name would encourage people in Belford Roxo (near Rio de Janeiro) to elect him mayor of the city. According to Anjos, some people think he actually resembles the American senator and since changing his name, people call him Barack. In Petrolina, Pernambuco, in Brazil’s northeast, Alexandre Jacinto, who is running for city council, has become Alexandre Barack Obama Jacinto. But using the Obama name comes with its problems. Jovelino Selis of the city of Ubiratã found that changing his name to Barak (without the C) Obama have brought accusations that he is an Islamic terrorist, Natalino Braz of Mendes, Rio de Janeiro, chose only the name Obama in his campaign to become alderman. In Brazil, a candidate can use any name they choose as long as it is not thought to be offensive.

In Brazil, black and white Brazilians seem to support Obama. Online support includes a blog entitled “Brasileiros por Obama (Brazilian for Obama)” while a group of Afro-Brazilian activists have raised $1,800 for Obama’s campaign and search for a real Brazilian version of the charismatic senator. In Belford Roxo, if Cláudio Henrique is elected, he said he would invite Senator Obama to dinner. With such popularity, if Obama loses to McCain in November, maybe he should consider learning Portuguese and run for president in Brazil. Why not? Having “Barack-Star” status should be good for something, right?

One Response to “The Brazilian Obamas?/Os Obamas brasileiros?”

This is fascinating, Mark. On a related note, just this past summer I joked with some of my students here in Atlanta that I would bet my last dollar that there is going to be a boom in black male children named Barak/Barack/Baraka just as Sade became a popular name for black girls after the singer made her debut back in the early 80’s. Ironically, many of the students were incredulous that their cousin/sister/frien’-girl’s names could possibly have come from this Anglo-Nigerian singer whom they knew little if anything about. (This historical amnesia thing is getting out of control, but that’s another story…)